Ecocide in Guatemala: Call for International Solidarity

Disturbing symptoms of ecocide have emerged in Guatemala over the past week. Hundreds of fish have turned up dead, floating or washed up on the sides of local watersheds. The contaminated tributaries navigate through ancient Mayan territories and remain a source of life-giving sustenance for the surrounding Indigenous populations of present day Playitas Chizec and Alta Verapaz.

Perhaps even more disturbing are the ‘almost dead’ fish that continue their journey downstream and are subsequently and innocently consumed by local populations that have no knowledge (and may even be separated by a language barrier from communities upstream, considering the socio-geography of Guatemala) of the tragedy playing out in full display elsewhere, according to a member of COCODE (Community Councils of Urban and Rural Development.)

Residents in the affected areas are so far blaming it on waste-water discharge from Ixcán Palmas, a palm oil outfit located on the ‘Northern Transversal Strip’ (an area inflicted with mass land grabs by elites and multinationals over the years ) in the region.

Residents of impacted communities are demanding the Ministry of Environmental and Natural Resources’ immediate intervention to mitigate and eventually reverse the damage wreaked by this acute environmental health catastrophe, likely born of corporate negligence.

International focusers and facilitators of solidarity can visit the Ministry’s website here; or utilize the service they offer there to log complaints found here.

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